Fire pits are a popular feature in hardscape design and are often the central focus of outdoor gathering and entertainment spaces. Designs vary from simple metal bowls, to free standing metal or terracotta chimneys, to stone or masonry elements. For most people the focus of fire pits seems to be on the ambiance of the open flame and less on the heating efficiencies and properties. Fire pits are very inefficient space heating resources.
You may recall a time when, on a cold wintry evening, you huddled closely around an outdoor fire pit trying to stay warm. No matter how much you try you just can't seem to comfortably position yourself to gain enough warmth from the fire pit. If you are positioned too low then you feel virtually no warmth. If you are positioned higher then you may feel some warmth on the part of the body exposed to the flames but the rest of your body is still feeling cold. Maybe your raised hands and your face are getting some warmth but your feet and backside are freezing cold. Often, the only way to obtain suitable warmth to be comfortable is to reposition yourself continually around the flames. Simply put, sitting beside a fire pit on a cold evening may not be overly enjoyable, relaxing or warm.
Often a cold evening includes a breeze or blowing wind. Breezes and wind wreak havoc on the ambiance of a fire pit. Typical fire pits are susceptible to blowing and gusting wind. Even a small breeze can blow smoke into the area surrounding the fire pit. That's when musical chairs begins! If the wind blows one direction everyone moves to the other side of the fire pit. Then, the wind might change direction and everyone moves to the other side. Why does it seem that fire pit smoke always follows you no matter on which side you are situated?
Fire pits would be so enjoyable if, somehow, someone could efficiently distribute the heat produced from the fire and, somehow, manage the smoke. How wonderful it would be to sit, in warmth, around the fire pit engaging in the pleasant trance of the dancing flames with no smoke to cloud your eyes and your lungs.